Fugitive behind Hatton Garden raid is ‘ex-policeman’

The ‘brains’ behind the Hatton Garden safety deposit raid, who has never been arrested and remains on the run, is a former policeman, it has been claimed.

The identity of mystery raider ‘Basil’ continues to baffle police. He was pictured in CCTV footage during the raid but was not caught.

However, a letter received by Sky News suggests he was the ringleader behind the entire operation.

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Danny Jones, who is awaiting sentence for the £14m raid, wrote a letter from Belmarsh Prison to Sky’s crime correspondent Martin Brunt.

Jones wrote: “I can say that someone told me he was an ex-policeman who got into security by the guy who introduced him to me. He said Basil heard about me from a close friend on the police force, as I was arrested for a similar raid in Bond Street in 2010.

“Basil was the brains, as I was recruited by him. He let me in on the night of the burglary, he hid keys and codes throughout the building.”

Jones, 60, insists he does not know Basil’s identity and if he did he would not reveal it, according to Sky.

The letter added: “I saw Basil about four times throughout, he came and went. I don’t know nothing about him, where he lives. I wasn’t interested.

“I wouldn’t give him up as I wouldn’t grass. It’s not a done thing where I come from as (I) fear for family members.”